c.1890 Illinois Watch Company Trade Card, Front This uncommon trade card features a representation of a letter to the Illinois Watch Company from Japan stating, "We consider the Illinois Watch without exception the best in the world." At the time, the Illinois Watch Company had just opened a sales office in England and was seeking to expand its global reputation. Excerpt From The Keystone, January 1890 The January 1890 issue of The Keystone describes the unique trade card: "A remarkably pretty card is being issued by the Illinois Watch Company. It represents a letter mailed from Japan to the company, and is a very close imitation of the original, a portion of the envelope is torn away and the contents exposed to view. The Japanese postage stamp are accurately reproduced, and bear the usual cancellation marks... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 1 week ago

Matching Serial Numbers? Last week, I posted a c.1918 Waltham Duo-Tone P.S. Bartlett that featured unusual gilt-damaskeened upper plates paired with a nickel pillar plate and balance cock. This spurred a discussion questioning whether the serial numbers on the individual parts would match. While evidence supports that these movements were distributed from the factory with this unusual duo-tone combination, it was unclear whether these were intentionally designed (with matching serial numbers) or haphazardly combined at the factory from existing mismatched inventory to create a marketable movement (with mismatched serial numbers)... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 2 weeks ago

Waltham P.S. Bartlett #22295427 with Duo-Tone Plates For a short time in the late 1910s, the American Waltham Watch Company produced 16-Size P.S. Bartlett and No. 620 movements with duo-tone plates - featuring an elegant gilt damaskeened finish on the bridge plates and nickel finish on the balance cock and pillar plate... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 3 weeks ago